Letters To The Editor

June 12, 2008

Tolls are the fairest way to pay

In his letter "Economical gas tax," June 7, the writer said that his working on the Southside and living in Hampton would cause him to incur significant commuting costs if tolls were imposed at the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel. Well, I believe that is exactly why we should have tolls. I have to assume that the writer lives on the Peninsula and works on the Southside by choice and that this arrangement best serves his interests.

I worked for more than 40 years, and I elected to live in the same community and within a reasonable commuting distance to facilitate the cost and duration of the trip. It's all about choices.

As was recently stated herein, tolls would have the added benefit of deterring traffic, which would also have a positive impact on tunnel congestion.

I doubt that any solution to the highway problem will be viewed as fair by everyone, but to me, tolls seem to be the fairest, since they place the costs on those who benefit most. However, I am in total agreement with the writer on keeping my money away from Richmond.